Auburn City Council Meeting, March 4, 2021 Auburn City Council Regular Meeting Thursday, March 4, 2021 5:00 P.M. City Council Chambers Memorial City Hall 24 South St. Auburn, NY 13021 Minutes The meeting of the Auburn City Council was called to order at 5:00 p.m. via Zoom videoconference from the City Council Chambers, 24 South St. Auburn, NY by Mayor Quill. The meeting was held by videoconference due to the COVID-19 pandemic. ROLL CALL – The City Clerk called the roll. Councilor Deb McCormick, Councilor Jimmy Giannettino, Councilor Terry Cuddy, Councilor Tim Locastro and Mayor Quill were all present. The following City Staff was present for the meeting: • City Manager, Jeff Dygert • Corporation Counsel, Stacy DeForest • City Clerk, Chuck Mason • Police Chief, Shawn Butler • Fire Chief, Mark Fritz • City Engineer, Bill Lupien • Director of Planning and Economic Development, Jennifer Haines • Police Lieutenant James Slayton Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag – Mayor Quill led the Pledge of Allegiance. Moment of Silent Prayer or Reflection – Mayor Quill asked for a moment of silent prayer. Public Announcements – CEREMONIAL PRESENTATIONS – WHEREAS, American women have played and continue to play a critical economic, cultural, and social role in every sphere of the life of our Nation by constituting a significant portion of the labor force working inside and outside of the home; and - 1 - Auburn City Council Meeting, March 4, 2021 WHEREAS, American women have played a unique role throughout the history of the Nation by providing the majority of the volunteer labor force and were particularly important in the establishment of early charitable, philanthropic, and cultural institutions in our Nation; and WHEREAS, American women of every race, class, and ethnic background served as early leaders in the forefront of every major progressive social change, and have made historic contributions to the growth and strength of our Nation in countless recorded and unrecorded ways ; and WHEREAS, American women have been leaders, not only in securing their own rights of suffrage and equal opportunity, but also in the abolitionist movement, the emancipation movement, the industrial labor movement, the civil rights movement, and other movements, especially the peace movement, which created a more fair and just society for all; and WHEREAS, three friends and neighbors in mid-nineteenth century Auburn, New York—Harriet Tubman, Frances Seward, and Martha Coffin Wright—were crucially important in their collective contributions to the abolition of slavery, the Underground Railroad, the early women’s rights movement, and the Civil War, and remain leading examples of striving toward our nation’s purpose to form a more perfect union; and WHEREAS, women have served as elected officials within the City of Auburn, the first Woman Mayor serving from 2000-2004 and five women have served as City Councilors in recent years; and WHEREAS, despite these contributions, the role of American women in history has been consistently overlooked and undervalued, in the literature, teaching and study of American history; and WHEREAS, this year’s Women’s History Theme is Valiant Women of the Vote: Refusing to be Silenced. This theme captures the spirit of these challenging times. It reflects our deepening understanding and shines a light on the important roles of multicultural suffragists and voting rights activists. And ensures that these women continue to be recognized and honored for refusing to allow their voices to be silenced, even by a pandemic; and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that, I, Michael D. Quill, Mayor of the City of Auburn, on behalf of the members of City Council and the community of Auburn, New York hereby proclaim that March 2021 is designated as Women’s History Month in the City of Auburn, and encourage all of our citizens to observe March as Women’s History Month with appropriate programs, celebrations, ceremonies, and activities. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the City of Auburn to be affixed this Fourth day of March 2021. Michael D. Quill, Mayor City of Auburn, New York - 2 - Auburn City Council Meeting, March 4, 2021 WHEREAS, Harriet Tubman was born into slavery as Araminta Ross in Bucktown, near Cambridge, Maryland in 1822; and WHEREAS, Harriet escaped from slavery in 1849 to eventually settle in Philadelphia, where she was introduced to William Still – the “Station Master of the Underground Railroad” and began her mission as one of their conductors; and WHEREAS, Harriet Tubman became known as the “Moses of her people” after making many trips leading several slaves to freedom in Canada, along the Underground Railroad; and WHEREAS, following her escape from slavery she joined with the Union Army and served as a nurse, scout, cook and spy in the Civil War; and WHEREAS, following the war she met Secretary William H. Seward and his wife Frances here in Auburn, through whom she contracted seven acres of land on South Street to build a home for herself and other family members; and WHEREAS, in 1896 she purchased an additional twenty-five adjoining acres to her home, including a frame house that would become known as her Home for the Aged to expand her charitable work providing for poor, sick and elderly formerly enslaved people; and WHEREAS, over the 50 years that she lived in Auburn she took everything she earned and gave it back in service to others and she fought for racial and gender equality with civil rights and suffrage activism; and WHEREAS, on the 10th day of March 1913, Harriet Tubman departed for eternal life and was laid to rest with full military honors at Fort Hill Cemetery in Auburn, New York; and WHEREAS, today her home and property in Auburn are registered as a National Historic Landmark; and WHEREAS, in 1998 this site was designated as part of the National Park Service’s National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom; and WHEREAS, on December 19, 2014 President Barack Obama signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which included creating the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park which will protect in perpetuity sites associated with Tubman in Cambridge, Maryland and Auburn, New York; and WHEREAS, on January 10, 2017 the U.S. Interior Secretary signed the establishment of the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park officially making the Auburn site the 414th unit of our National Park Service; and - 3 - Auburn City Council Meeting, March 4, 2021 WHEREAS, Harriet Ross Tubman is an inspiration to many people, as her life’s work fighting for freedom and equality makes her one of our Nation’s greatest historical figures, and it is therefore fitting that people everywhere pay tribute to this significant American champion of freedom. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that I, Michael D. Quill, Mayor of the City of Auburn, New York, on behalf of the members of City Council and citizens of Auburn, do hereby proclaim the 10th day of March, 2021, as HARRIET TUBMAN DAY in the City of Auburn, New York. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the City of Auburn to be affixed this Fourth day of March 2021. Michael D. Quill, Mayor City of Auburn, New York Approval of Meeting Minutes – • February 18, 2021 Council Meeting Minutes Motion to approve the February 18, 2021 minutes by Councilor Cuddy, seconded by Councilor Giannettino. Motion to approve carried 5-0. Reports of City Officials A. City Manager’s Report • The City of Auburn is currently accepting bids for the following projects: A. Kitchen equipment for the new Public Safety Building, due March 9 B. State Street Plaza Construction Inspection Services, due March 5 C. Landfill Final Closure and Leachate System Modifications, due March 17. More information on these projects is available on the City of Auburn webpage under the tab “Bids/RFPs”. • Auburn Police Department has been awarded a research grant to collaborate with Cayuga Counseling Services and Dr. Alison Marganski of LeMoyne College to conduct a study on the effectiveness of the Victim Advocate Program. • Falcon Park is being prepared for the 2021 season. The Cayuga Community College teams are slated to begin practice next week for the softball program and in about two weeks for their soccer program. Next week Falcon Park will also host a double header baseball game between St. John Fisher and Clarkson. The park is becoming a very highly sought after venue for a variety of sports and their calendar is rapidly filling up. - 4 - Auburn City Council Meeting, March 4, 2021 • City staff will be assisting with mobile vaccination clinics next Mon., Tues., and Wed. The Cayuga County Health Department has also established a semi-permanent vaccine site at the Finger Lakes Mall. We continue to collaborate with the Auburn Housing Authority, Booker T. Washington Center, several local churches, and other community organizations to spread the word and assist in getting eligible people into clinics. This week we were happy to accept some assistance from the Auburn High School Z-Club to make phone calls and register residents. B. Reports from members of Council Matters to Come Before Council A. State Environmental Quality Review Act Resolutions (SEQR) - none B. Ordinances – none C. Local Laws – none D. Resolutions – COUNCIL RESOLUTION #30 of 2021 AUTHORIZING THE CONVEYANCE OF A PORTION OF THE MELONE VILLAGE PUBLIC HOUSING PROJECT BY THE AUBURN HOUSING AUTHORITY TO MELONE VILLAGE III HOUSING DEVELOPMENT FUND COMPANY, INC., AS NOMINEE FOR MELONE VILLAGE III LIMITED PARTNERSHIP